Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $200 For 2019

There are countless choices out there, but let’s find the best noise-cancelling headphones under $200 for you

If you find your listening sessions interrupted too often and don’t have $250+ to spare, you may want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones under $200.

(English note: ‘Canceling’ is the correct version of the word to use here, but nobody- not even manufacturers- are using it. For the sake of SEO and consistency, we’re following the double L rule in this article.)

Of course, there’s more you need to know than just “I need noise-cancelling headphones”. In the article below, we’ve assembled a wide variety of options under $200, ranging from the least to most expensive. After our list of options, we’ll also be providing a buying guide you can consult if you aren’t sure how to choose.

If you want the cheapest possible noise-cancelling headphones, then we recommend the Skrtime Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones. Despite being the cheapest option on this list, these headphones are actually one of the most popular choices for noise-cancelling headphones on Amazon, thanks to surprisingly good sound and build quality.

Make no mistake: the noise-cancelling here is purely of the passive variety. There is no active noise cancellation here- we’re looking at a solely passive solution, which means that a tight fit is more important than ever. In terms of noise-cancellation, you’re getting what you pay for.

In terms of overall build and sound quality...we think you’re actually getting a little more than what you paid for. In addition to the basic wireless headphone functionality, you have the option to connect a standard aux cable and turn this into a wired headset when your battery is dead. There is also an abundance of onboard controls, including the ability to add an SD card and use the headset as an independent MP3 player, without the need of a separate smart device for streaming audio.

With these features and the low price in mind, we think these are the best affordable noise-cancelling headphones.

We’d be remiss to forget AUKEY’s excellent budget earbuds. These use passive noise cancellation, and thanks to their in-ear form factor, they’re actually fairly good at it. AUKEY’s audio products may be cheap, but they’re of a surprisingly consistent high quality despite that niche.

The noise-cancellation here is pretty much the best you’ll get out of a passive solution, thanks to the earbud form factor. AUKEY’s base sound quality isn’t world-shattering or anything, but they did have the sense to use dual 8mm drivers in these earbuds. This makes them slightly larger than your typical budget earbud, but not in a super noticeable way unless you expected AirPods.

One of the most important features here is actually the water resistance. Specifically, these come with IPX4 water resistance, which means they should be fairly usable when sweating at the gym or walking in the rain without worry. If you’re particularly athletic and want something to drain out the rest of the world when you’re working out, these may be a great option for you.

Here’s an interesting proposition: earbuds with active noise cancellation! Typically, earbuds don’t really bother with ANC, since their form factor does surprisingly strong PNC by itself and they want to keep costs low. The 1MORE E1004 ANC-BLK Dual Driver Noise-Cancelling Headphones may not come from a particularly recognizable brand name, but they’re actually highly-praised for their overall sound.

The ANC implementation here is surprisingly strong, as is the sound quality. The headphone seven include a built-in DAC to prevent signal loss and interference, which is particularly impressive for an audio product in this price range.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to all of this.

These earbuds are fragile. The consensus in reviews around the web indicate truly excellent noise-cancellation and sound quality, but truly abysmal durability and overall build quality. We definitely don’t recommend these earbuds if you’re going to be using them in the gym or another high-activity setting.

If you want a cheap pair of ANC headphones, it’s hard to go wrong with the COWIN E7. The COWIN E7 is actually Amazon’s top pick for noise-cancelling headphones, and retails for just under $60 on most days. For your money, you’re getting one of the best-balanced headphone solutions on Amazon.

The active noise cancellation, combined with the over-ear form factor and stellar overall build quality, make this a great entry-level ANC headset. If you want a great balance between the three pillars of price, performance, and comfort, then this is easily one of the best options on this list.

As an added benefit, there are also quite a few colors to choose from! You’ll need to pay slightly more for them, but you can also get these headphones in Blue, Purple, Red, and White.

The only real downside to these headphones is their price, especially if you’re used to buying headphones for $30 or less. However, this is the price that you pay for quality, and it only increases from here.

As we approach the $100 price point, we’re starting to see more improvements to ANC implementations and overall comfort/build quality. The TaoTronics Hybrid Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones are a prime example of this, boasting a very cushion-y headphone design backed with massive 40 mm drivers and a ton of room for adjustments.

If you want to buy a very comfortable and well-balanced ANC headset for under $100, then TaoTronics is definitely providing one of the best options here. The only real slight we have to level against it is that it’s more expensive than the earlier entries in this list, and is close to using almost half of our maximum $200 budget. Just because you’re looking at a roundup of headphones under $200 doesn’t mean that you want to spend all that money, especially if cheaper products can service your needs.

Fortunately, we feel like this product perfectly captures the price/performance balance in the sub-$200 price range. If you want a great pair of comfortable headphones without breaking the bank, then we’d be hard-pressed to find a better option for under $100.

The JBL Live 650 BT Noise-Cancelling Headphones are our first pick for the above-$100 range. These headphones usually retail for a bit under $140, and they’re a clear step above sub-$100 competitors like our #5 pick in terms of comfort, sound quality, and build quality. Not only do they sound premium, they look and feel premium, too, which is great for any tech purchase over $100.

While we’re happy to sing praises of this set of headphones, we do need to discuss the downsides. Aside from the obvious increase in price, there’s also the issue of setup. Specifically, you’ll need to use the JBL app in order to get the headphones working properly, and most people...aren’t a fan of it. So long as you can get the app working, though, you’re going to enjoy a truly great listening experience at a surprisingly fair price.

Just...keep the app point in mind, especially if you aren’t very tech-savvy or frequently have issues with your smartphone of choice. If you’re worried about extra tweaking and configuration, then choosing one of the other options on this list may be best.

If you want the best ANC in the industry, you go with Bose. This is their claim to fame in headphone tech, and even at this low-for-high-end-headphones price point, that is still clear here. The Bose QuietComfort headphones boast the best ANC implementation in the business, which translates to great listening in all but the most extreme environments.

In addition to industry-best ANC, you also get to enjoy some genuinely superb sound quality and comfort. These are built for extended music listening sessions first and foremost, though you do have some nice on-hand controls. (You’ll need to buy a different version for Apple or Android controls due to differing hardware standards, though. Don’t worry- both options are on the Amazon page, and are the same price.)

Now for the downsides.

First up, this is wired. That’s great for people who are concerned about latency- especially gamers- but may be inconvenient for consumers who want or expect wireless headphones. Secondly, these headphones are actually...quite fragile.

When getting all these features into a low price point, there is always a compromise of some kind. It seems that Bose’s choice in this case was a less durable build, and over time this has resulted in more and more disgruntled reviews referring to headphones slowly starting to fail. We’d expect a lifespan of at least a year out of any pair of these you buy, especially if they get past the 1-month return window...but unfortunately, they may expire soon after that.

To protect your investment, use these for seated use and extended listening sessions. We don’t recommend bringing them into bed or using them when you’re hustling out-and-about, since you’re more likely to put pressure on the earcups or tug on the wire the wrong way. If you don’t want to be concerned about this at all, you can opt for a high-end QuietComfort model...but that will cost well over $200.

Last but not least are the Sennheiser HD 4.50 SE Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones. As an overall product, these are actually the best. Sound and build quality are stellar here, as is the ANC implementation and a 2 year warranty. You also have the option to use these as a wired headset, which is great for when your battery runs out or latency is a concern.

So aside from the price- which is just under $200 and maxing out our budget- what’s the catch? Everything is great.

Except...the size.

Specifically, these headphones are too small for users with large ears and heads. This is literally the only complaint that people have about them. While it’s good that this minor nitpick is the only complaint we have to levy against the product, it’s important to note that this is one of the only times we’ve seen reviewers come out en masse across the web to complain about the size. So if your head or ears are larger than average, even slightly, you may want to consider another headphone option.

If you still can’t find the right headphones for you...read the buying guide below, or leave a comment. We’ll be happy to help.

Buying The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $200 For You

In this section, we’re going to address a few important specs to consider when making your buying decision. If you have any more questions about a given set of headphones in this article, feel free to leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to help you.

Budget

Under $50 – You want cheap noise-cancelling headphones. These may not have the best sound or last forever, but they can do the job- especially if they’re ANC.

Under $100 – You want affordable noise-cancelling headphones. These usually feature ANC, and come in various form factors.

Under $150 – You want inexpensive noise-cancelling headphones. These will boast better sound quality than many of their cheaper counterparts.

Under $200 – You want the best noise-cancelling headphones under $200, and you don’t mind spending close to that full amount.

Wired or Wireless?

Most of the headphones in this roundup are wireless, but a few are still wired, including one of our top picks. In terms of practicality, most users will be better taken care of with a wireless headset, especially if they’re only listening to music. Users who are regularly taking calls or playing games, however, may still want to consider a wired headset.

The reason: latency. Especially for professional gamers, your sound cutting out at the wrong moment or being delayed can have some dire consequences. While our wireless picks don’t have any known issues with signal quality, some level of variance is to be expected with wireless devices- and it’s better to be safe (wired) than sorry if latency concerns you.

Additionally, making a pair of headphones wireless comes with its own downsides. Most namely, cost. Our #7 pick is one of the best-sounding headphones on this list, but it being wired was necessary for it to even make it into this roundup. (It would have been too expensive otherwise, since it already straddles the line.)

Noise-Cancellation Type

Particularly important for noise-cancelling headphones is understanding the difference between Noise Cancellation types. There are two kinds of noise cancellation in headphone audio: passive noise cancellation, and active noise cancellation. We’ll explain these below.

Passive noise cancellation is accomplished by physical design. For larger headphones, this is accomplished with cups large enough to cover your ears entirely, that (mostly) seal outside noise. With earbuds, this is accomplished with…well, their general form factor. Since they go straight into your ear, they’re pretty good at blocking out any external noise, since they’re effectively noisy earplugs.

Active noise cancellation is a step above, and is what most people are thinking of when they refer to noise cancellation. This is accomplished through a combination of hardware and software. Using an external microphone built into your headphones, the software detects what noises are coming from outside of your headphones. The software then creates a counter-tone to drown out external noises, hopefully without disrupting your listening experience in any noticeable way.

Higher-end ANC headphones will perform better than low-end ones. Manufacturers like Bose are renowned for their great ANC implementations, but most of their ANC products come at a significant price premium for this reason.

Sound Quality and who’s best

Last but not least, let’s go over sound quality for a moment.

Fortunately for consumers, the world of headphones is competitive enough that products are usually appropriately-priced for their sound capabilities. Sans egregious exceptions like Beats, you’ll generally find that your high-end headphones from reputable manufacturers sound far superior than low-end headphones, regardless of who builds them.

Going into exact detail on every pair of headphones in this roundup is a bit out of the scale for this article, but we worked to make sure that every option had positive feedback on the basics of good sound quality and got better as you paid more.

At least when it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, the biggest names are Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser. Sony’s ANC options didn’t come up in this roundup (since they occupy a higher tier of pricing), but Bose and Sennheiser both make an appearance. Bose is known for having the best ANC in the business, while Sennheiser is known for having superior sound quality, if only by a little.

Christopher Harper is an up-and-coming tech writer with nearly a decade of experience (starting when he was 15!) and a genuine love for PC hardware, as well as tech and gaming at large. When he isn't writing, he works on fiction, YouTube videos, and competitive gaming.

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HeadphonesLab.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, HeadphonesLab.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.